The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-21

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but his mother held him back. So he
climbed the high pine tree in the garden
and looked over to the forest. But
he could see nothing but smoke and
hear nothing but the report OF the
firing which lasted till the evening.
When the sun went down the shooting
was not so near, and the noise
gradually subsidized, and when the
moon rose all had become quiet and
only the wind rustled in the old nut
trees.
Max's mother brought a cup ofmilk
and a piece OF black bread. Eat that
Max, else you will get sick" she said,
and with her hand gently stroked the
boys dark hair.
"Do youexpect father back today"
asked Max, without looking at his
supper.
His mother shrugged her shoulders
and cried,
"Where is he?" asked Max.
"How can you ask me thus?" she
said softly.
1t grew later and later and later,
and the father did not come home.
The mother went about the house and
locked the doors and shut the win
dows, and put out the fire in the kitch-
en- where she had prepared Annals
soup.
ut is time to go 10 bed" she said.
"Do You not hear anythingf" asked
Max.
His mother opened the window ara
listened. But everything was quiet.
The lonely, quiet night was over the
valley, and the air came cool into the
room.
"Go to bed, Max, and pray" said
his mother, after having listened a
while.
"If ! only knew where father is"
said Max, "if could only see him for
a moment, il / only knew that | shall
ever see him againl"
"Pray, my child, pray!" said his
mother, and hid her face in her hands.
After Max had gone into his cham.
Der, and nothing moved any longer,
his mother extinguished the light, for
she thought it might bring danger il
troops should pass the village in the
The poor woman was now quite alone
in the chamber the children slept.
The moon shone into the room and
lighted up the walls and the place where
the father used to sit at this time oil
night and where he talked with the
wife about the joys and cares OF the
passed and the coming day. Whether
he will ever sit there again2 the good
dear fatherl The woman sat with
bent head; the moon shone upon her
pale, careworn face.
Suddenly she looked ND. What was
it? A noise in the street-a gentle,
light step; for one second she could
hear it, and then all was quiet again.
Was somebody stealing around the
house? Was an enemy nearY The
woman jumped up and listened; acold
draught passed over her; it came from
the chamber. Was the window open
there?-she had cl osed it herself-she
knew that for certain. Had some.
body opened or forced it inland
who?-
With loudly beating heart she went
into the chamber. Yes, the window
was wide open and the cool night air
streamed in. Nobody had come into
the room, she saw that in the clear
moonshine;-but outsider She listen
ed far out into the street. But every
thing was silentas the grave and moth.
ing was to be seen but the black shad
ows OF the trees and houses.
One moment she stood motionless,
then an anxious thought came into
her mind; she turned and looked back
into the chamber. "Maxl" she called,
and bent over his bed wringing her
hands, for the bed was empty.
Meanwhile Max ran past the last
houses OF the village, and his shadow
ran beside him. Max had no hat on
his head, no shoes on his feet. In his
left hand he held his fathers canteer
and the piece OF black bread his moth.
er had given him in the evening, and
in his right hand he held large knife.
The trees and bushes whispered gently
as he passed, the crosses and monu
ments over in the cemetery shone
ghostly in the moonlight, and dark
shadows looked forth behind every
stone and fence post. Max did not
look to the right nor left, but strobe
straight on. What should he be afraid
off The stones and fence posts he
knew we'll enough, he had seen them
many times a day,-and the crosses
over there too. And that they threw
now such mysterious shadows-this
was caused by the moon-and he knew
the moon, too!
But farther on, over the next hill
near the edge OF the forest-the boys
heart trembled, his fist grasped the
knife more firmly, he hastened his
steps, his cheeks and eyes glowed, hin
hair flew in the night wind.
Max neared the battlefield. A pc